Vladimir Putin’s Worst Enemies Are Hosting a Summit in His Honor

Organizers of the first-ever “PutinCon” are assembling the Russian president’s fiercest critics to discuss everything from Putin’s finances to his unraveling. Here, an exclusive sneak peek at what’s in store.

Imagine Vladimir Putin’s most vocal critics and dogged enemies all getting together in one room to, among other things, discuss his downfall. Well, that’s more or less what organizers of the first-ever “PutinCon” have in mind.

The one-of-a-kind conference, to be held on March 16 in New York, is designed by its organizers at the Human Rights Foundation to educate and organize the autocrat's foes by bringing them together.

The event comes at a moment, of course, of mounting Russian aggression around the world and a time when Putin’s puzzling bromance with President Donald Trump isn't yet fully understood. The gathering is also poised to be the single largest get-together of the various thorns in Putin's side. Organizers hope the event will provide those most interested in countering Putin’s regime with a deeper understanding of the man—and the threat that they say he poses. “Too many people have underestimated him,” said Garry Kasparov, the chess grandmaster turned Russian opposition leader, who now chairs the Human Rights Foundation.

The day of lectures and networking sessions will take place 48 hours before Russia’s March 18 presidential election, which Putin is expected to win easily after neutering his political opposition. Alexei Navalny—who was considered Putin’s most serious competition in the race before being barred from running on Christmas Day—is not expected to attend, though several of his aides are.

Among the scheduled speakers is former U.S. attorney Preet Bharara, who will be leading a session titled, “The Richest Man in History and His Accomplices,” about Putin’s net worth and the looting of Russia, according to a release announcing the event, which was shared first exclusively with GQ. Putin, who has allegedly become the wealthiest person in the world while the vast majority of Russians wallow in penury, portrays himself as a simple salary-earner and is especially sensitive to explorations of his secret riches.

The confab will cover all aspects of the Russian president, including, in what may be a bit of wishful thinking, “his unraveling."

Amateur and professional Kremlinologists alike can request an invitation at PutinCon.com, though organizers say they will be vetting prospective attendees to weed out spies and saboteurs. Because of Putin’s penchant for poisoning and persecuting his critics, a significant portion of the event’s budget has been dedicated to security. Though organizers have announced the event will take place somewhere in Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen, the exact venue remains a secret.

Among the 30 featured speakers will also be William Browder, who has championed a series of human-rights laws that levy sanctions against Putin’s inner circle, prompting the president to try Browder in absentia in Russia for various ginned-up crimes. Putin has repeatedly tried to issue international warrants for Browder’s arrest, most recently in October, but the warrants are invariably rejected by Interpol.

In addition to Browder, Putin biographer Masha Gessen—who has written on unsavory aspects of the Russian president’s life and was one of the few openly gay people in Russia as Putin began his campaign of persecution against LGBT Russians—will delve into the strongman’s psyche.

British journalist Luke Harding, who has published the first book about alleged collusion between Putin’s government and President Donald Trump’s campaign, will also lead a panel, and speakers from Syria, Chechnya, and Ukraine will speak about the impact of Putin’s military campaigns in their homelands.

The one-day summit is scheduled to conclude with Vladimir Kara-Murza—a Russian opposition politician who bears a striking resemblance to Vladimir Lenin and has survived two apparent poisoning attempts since 2015—leading a session entitled, “The End of Putin's Tyranny."

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